Page 75 of Seared Fates

Voices are the first thing I’m aware of.

I try to pinpoint who’s speaking, but it’s garbled like I’m underwater, and my bloated head warps noise into bubbles.

I shift, and all noise pops into silence. My eyelids flutter, and I immediately regret it when sharp light pricks my irises.

“Where am I?” I groan, throat dry.

“Home.” Vidar’s low voice, hard with something my fuzzy mind is too stupid to pick up, brushes across my ear.

“Home?”

“Vampire Manor.”

I register the hard planes of Vidar’s chest before I’m fully awake.

As one by one my senses come back online, I find I’m safely tucked in his arms, nestled between his muscular thighs with my cheek lying on the cotton of his clothed shoulder.

His scent was a cool breeze to my mind, which seemed to be on fire.

The bed bounces, and a mess of black curls spills into my line of sight. “You’re awake!” Golden’s shout pierces my eardrum, and I groan. “Shit, sorry,” he mumbles softly.

Golden pushes on Vidar’s arm, the big vampire grunting as my friend flops half on top of him. The familiar scent of creamy coconut envelops me as Golden drops his head on Vidar’s chest, the end of his button nose pressing against mine.

“How are you feeling?” Golden asks, his eyes red-rimmed.

“Honestly? Kinda like I’ve been hit by a truck.”

I try to remember what happened, but my sluggish memories are taking their time coming back.

Vidar grunts again but doesn’t complain, and I twist in time to see Ramy elbow his way onto Vidar’s other side, before I’m locked in an embrace.

“I was so worried about you!” His tone is raw, stark with worry.

My body is weak, but I have enough strength to hold their hands. “Sorry, I scared you.” Even if I’m still unsure what happened.

“You were right from the beginning.” Ramy lays his head on the pillow we’ve made of Vidar’s chest so our eyes can meet. “We should’ve run.” Then, to my surprise, Ramy holds up a glinting key ring. “I’ve already stolen Lucero’s keys.”

My body aches, my memories blur, and everything’s a mess. But I wouldn’t trade all the money in the world for the laughter that leaves the three of us, our hands tangled together like a mess of red strings.

Vidar takes hold of my chin and draws my head back. “Kai.” The way he says my name is gentle, but a command all the same. “Do you remember what happened?”

I open my mouth to say I’m not sure, but as the laughter dies, memories rise like zombies.

I’m so fucking stupid.

I try to pull from him, but Vidar’s grip, while not painful, keeps me locked in place. So instead, I glance away to find Lucero and Rurik silently standing guard by the bed, arms crossed.

“You’re living my dream, Maker.” A tall figure in all black steps out of the shadows. “Draped in pretty boys.”

Both Vidar and Lucero growl in warning.

The stranger is Japanese, with tan-olive skin stretched over a strong build and the tapered waist of a swimmer. A wave of dark hair crashes into broad shoulders, and there’s a slight bend to the bridge of his nose—as if a fist’s connected with his face more than once.

But something in his swagger tells me a bloody nose only makes this vampire laugh.

“Who…?” I trail off.

“Me?” One of the stranger's thick eyebrows raises as he strolls closer, like he’ll waste your time and you’ll thank him for it. “I’m the famous Sen, surely Vidar’s spoken about me.”